VINELAND — EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the Thakkars were the top New Jersey Lottery retailers in the state. The New Jersey Lottery clarified Friday the Thakkars are in the top 20 retailers in terms of lottery sales.

Local businessman Praful “Paul” Thakkar provides a glimmer of hope to people who want to be instant millionaires.

“Sometimes, that $1 ticket is the only hope they have to hit the lottery,” said Thakkar, who co-owns Todd’s News Agency on Delsea Drive with wife, Bina. “Here the winning happens sometimes a couple times a week.”

Last year, Thakkar’s combined businesses — he also owns J & J News — boasted one of the highest ticket sales in the state lottery network. This year, the store is expected to pass the 2011 amount.

Last year, the store generated nearly $3.8 million in lottery sales, according to a statement from the New Jersey Lottery. Their sales for this year are expected to be close to $4 million, again placing them among the highest selling retailers in the state.

The Thakkars will be recognized in an upcoming edition of a state lottery newsletter Retailer Insights which the lottery puts out for its retailers, said Judith L. Drucker, public relations manager for the New Jersey Lottery.

Thakkar, 57, said he purchased his first store in 1990. He said he came to the country from India with $20 in his pocket and a dream for a better life.

He attributes his success to “dedication, faithfulness and honesty.”

He said he has worked 100-hour weeks for 20 years.

“Hopefully we set the example for other retailers and show them what they can do to bring good business,” he said.

Sales averaged $7,000 per week when the couple opened the first store in 1990. By 2011, the combined store sales were $60,000 per week, he said.

Five years ago, Todd’s was picked to be the kick-off site for a big prize game that awarded four $1 million prizes.

Thakkar is excited about his successes, but he is humble at the same time.

Over the years, customers have become his friends.

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“I’m a people person and that’s why I get to know people when they walk in. By the time they walk out I know them by first name,” Thakkar said.

Customers come from as far away as Wildwood in Cape May County, Glassboro in Gloucester County or Atlantic City and Margate in Atlantic County.

“Lottery players are superstitious,” Thakkar said. “They see newspaper articles about my store being No. 1 and they start coming here from all over. They will spend $5 on gas to go somewhere to buy a $1 lottery ticket.”

Thakkar has some customers who come to the store twice a week.

“They just feel comfortable to come here and they think they they might have the winning ticket,” he said.

Being the top lottery retailer in the state can at times rub off on Thakkar.

In 2009, he went in on a group ticket with some customers and won. Thakkar said he was coaxed into playing a Mega Millions game with a four retirees from Wheaton Glass in Millville.

Their ticket payed out $10,000, he said.

In 2004, a woman decided she didn’t want to buy a scratch-off ticket that his wife had already torn off the roll. Instead, Thakkar’s wife purchased the ticket. She scratched it off and won $5,000, Thakkar said.

He said he has many groups who stop in his store to play including employees of the area prisons and the local utilities.

“I think a lot of people just want to win enough money to pay their bills. When people get in a group, they are hoping to win enough money to quit their jobs and retire,” he said.

The difficult economy has driven more people to his store to buy lottery tickets, he said.

“With this bad economy, people try to get lucky and hit the lottery. They’re always hopeful,” he said.

This week, one customer won $3,000 from a Pick 4 lottery ticket.

The walls of Todd’s News Agency are covered from floor to ceiling with winning tickets and the amounts they paid out throughout the years.

“I come here because this is my lucky store,” said Paula Hannah of Millville.

She has been coming to the store for 10 years to play the Pick 3 lottery ticket and also often buys a couple scratch-off tickets as well.

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“I think the most I’ve won has been $400 or $500, so its worth it to me,” she said. “The Pick 3 is my game.”

Local resident Al Carter said he won $6,000 on a Pick 5 lottery ticket he bought at the store 18 years ago.

He’s been coming to the store for more than two decades.

“I play $8 a day, seven days a week,” Carter said. “I come here because its close to home and a lot of people win here.”

Jackie Goldsboro of Vineland said she wouldn’t buy a lottery ticket anywhere else.

“The most wins come from here,” said Goldsboro, who plays the Mega Millions jackpot on Tuesdays and Fridays.

“I don’t think I’d want to retire even if I won, but I’d like to win enough to live comfortably,” she said.

The sign over the front door of Todd’s News Agency reads: “We pay out more money than we collect.”

Thakkar said his stores have a payout ratio of approximately 50 percent.

Winning tickets from either stores have been paid for amounts like $14,502, $20,604 and $36,105, according to Thakkar.

Thakker said last year, the big win at his store was for $424,073 on March 16.

“People just feel some sort of comfort when they come here. We offer them a little hope every week. It’s good to see so many people happy when they have good luck,” Thakkar said..

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